skinny comments ...

I was born skinny and have always heard the comments about my weight.  One thing that is really hard to forget was the comments at Thanksgiving.  I never was a big fan of bread.  It had its place like a sandwich or toast for a quick brekkie but at Thanksgiving I was never going to allow it to trump the good food.  I could have a nice plate full of food and even take seconds now and again but because I didn't take a biscuit my poor grandmother would go on and on about how skinny I was and why wasn't I eating.  She knew better too as she thought my father was too skinny and hauled him off to the doctor only to hear that he was fine.  Like father like daughter.

Now with 36 food allergies keeping my food intake in check, I still hear the comments.  I go to a church that likes to eat and when I don't, the ladies make comments like 'no wonder you stay skinny.'  I still have body issues like all women and feel like I have to keep my mouth shut so as not to offend anyone else but oh, I am treated like their comments don't hurt or bother me.  I am quiet person and keep my raging thoughts inside because I don't want to backbite.  Then when I am having a low day, all these little things pile up into how big of a misfit I am.

I happened across a verse in the Bible that encourages me.  You can say that it is a bit out of context but then again it really fits. I am thinking I should make up a shirt to wear on the food events at church but then again that would be too pompous of me right?

"For the Kingdom of God 

is not the matter of eating and drinking,

but of Righteousness, Peace, and JOY in the Holy Spirit."

~Romans 14:17

I know that fellowship seems to involve food but that fellowship is broken when the peace is crushed and the JOY is stolen when you make the bad choice of making a food comment that breaks a woman's heart in two.  Please fellowship with me by taking a walk and talking about God's Beautiful Handiwork.  Please fellowship with me by making something with our hands and encouraging others with homemade happiness.  Oh, how much more we all could get out of fellowship if we could get rid of the food!

Though one day I will be able to eat in fellowship with Right Ways, Peace, and JOY in the Holy Spirit and it will be all the beautiful brightly colored fruits and veggies.  I will look at you with a twinkle in my eye because truly this is my Bridal Feast and no skinny comment will hurt or break me again.

ps.  Don't get me wrong.  I am glad I am skinny but it still hurts to hear women make comments.  And I am glad you can't read my mind because as you fill your plate with four and five desserts, all I can think of is cancer...... or diabetes..... all the borrowing of health issues...... and by no means does that mean I am safe but why borrow trouble we don't have to...

food & games ...

I was invited by the singles at church to a get together on the 12th of November. There would be food and games. I didn't have to bring anything. I knew I would go but that doesn't mean I didn't fret the whole week. I tried to sing hymns to get it out of my focus. I prayed. I didn't talk too much about it to Mom or Dad. They don't get it. In fact no one seems to get it.

Why would I be worked up? It wasn't about shyness rather it is about the 36 food allergies I carry around like a wet paper-sack treating to break at any moment. I haven't even traveled yet with these 36 food gremlins. I haven't even tested at a friend's stay over. I did test it this summer with Jill who was back from Germany. I just told her that I needed a restaurant that had American food so I could pick at it. While eating I showed her the list. She was great and she told me she was eating more healthy to keep the cholesterol down so she wouldn't have to take meds especially in a foreign land. She took it in stride. My own family tries (Mom tries) but they struggle with it. You can't begin to imagine it because you don't live it. So until you traveled down my journey, you just don't get it. Little Bro says he couldn't do it. You do when you want relief!

I didn't say anything while the girls were asking because they came at me like a group of friendly geese. I tend to work better one on one. So do I show up late and miss the food? That seemed to get more deep glares so I would go at the appointed time and hope that they didn't make to much of it.

Scurried home after work. Ate my supper. Called Mom about the turkey. Got ready. Dress to warmly! Minutes to six I headed out because the house we were going to was super close. I went over there and only a truck sat in the brightly lit drive way. I went around that neighbor twice. There had to be more cars because I didn't know the girl or her brother to well. I needed at least one of the two friendly faces before I could do this. I went back home and waited five minutes. It was already five after. So my second trip over more cars where there. Good thing because I told God if there were no more cars I was going back home and staying.

The girl's house is beauuuuuutiful!!!!! She loves roosters and geese but what was a real wow was that she had the whole collection of these 60's dishes in white and pink. My mom has three bowls in white and baby teal. I wanted to really take them out and look at them and hear the story of how she got them. Where they handed down? Or was she a collector? Hmm, story-time! I resisted the temptation because these dishes where in the kitchen where all the food was. Maybe later.

I couldn't eat any of the food which to me was great because I didn't want some of the food to ok and others not. My allergies extend to what I can drink or not drink. The only thing I can drink is coffee but I hate coffee so I only drink water. I do drink fruit juices that have no sugar or sweetener added. Got to be a label reader. Cola is out too. Coke, salad, corn casserole, garlic bread, and lasagna were the menu. Interestedly, the girl who made the corn casserole listed the ingredients out loud with no one asking. That was brilliant! I grabbed the cup with my name on it and went to the tap for some water and went to set out in the livingroom. It wasn't a set at the table kind of thing so I think that helped too. Questions did come up but I kept it simple and they let it go at that. They seemed to understand. I was gratefully relieved.

We played Apples to Apples. It is an ok game but I really come out in games like pictionary. I did show my true colors once. Well, the card was sensual and they asked who said handcuffs! I do have a cheeky side if you must know! Plus, it was the only card that fit. {wink} Ok, I did have honeymoon but handcuffs were just way better. There is a couple that comes to this and they brought their little girl. I think she is about one or so. She was great entertainment. She has a grump look that she carries around when the no is mentioned. She even warmed up to me. I got be cheeky with her too without her puckering up in a cry! She was in charge of carrying the cards to everyone. So this was a very slow game! She got in it so much that we all had a stash of cards for her to carry around. Well, I gave her one but pulled back a bit. She played along like a real champ! I like this group. I plan on trying to fit in and be apart of this group.

The next one in December is a college basketball game with pizza afterwards. This is one will be a challenge. Not sure how I would do that .. leave after the game? Take my own food? I probably won't go but because December is a crazy with birthdays....

the headache ...

The biggest question I get is how I can eat the way I do. I have 36 food allergies which includes wheat and sugar so there goes the baked goods. Don't forget the chocolate which is the hardest for me to totally give up. Everything else I can totally do without. It has been tough on my family and I think it is very difficult for my father who loves cooking and flavor. (I have a sneaky suspicion that it is harder for guys in general to understand unless they have a food allergy themselves. it has been said to the way to a guy's heart is through their stomachs.)

Here is my feeble attempt to bottle up the fierce headache so you might get a glimpse of what it is like:
It usually begins in between the eyebrows or over the eye. The eyes are sensitive like they are swelling. Today it made my eyes very sleepy. All I wanted to do was to keep the eyes shut. Then there is a line from the middle of the eyebrows straight down to the stomach and you feel woozy. There is a slight chance you might just up-chuck (kinda like carsick but not in a moving vehicle!). The brain doesn't want to function and so thinking straight isn't happening. All you want is for the pain to stop NOW. You take aspirin but even if it finally cuts the searing pain the after effects are still there. It is like every pore on your head is swollen and even the ear ducts feel swollen. (Swollen pain like a busted lip kind of pain.) I never had a hangover but I think this has got to be pretty close. I don't think it is like a migraine but similar. So just take an aspirin and eat your chocolate isn't going to cut it. The other thing that surprises people even me is that the minute I eat a bad food, I still feel fine. It takes 24 hours for the food allergen to get into the blood stream and kill cells which is what the allergy is doing. No I don't swell up like people do with peanuts and it might not be life threatening but don't ask me in the middle of a major head pounding because it feels like dying would be a good thing to kill this pain. There is the hot cold thing that happens to your body too. When it finally eases up, you feel small and weak.

What a day and my head still isn't back to normal .... wondering what was in the seasoning for the wonderful chicken Dad made for Sunday lunch ....

36 food allergies & cc: headaches

stuffed cabbage ...

Feeling under the weather and not liking it a bit, I am trying anything natural to get over this. I so do not want to make a trip into the doc for this. It would be the second time this year if I do. What really makes me mad is that I don't get sick very often and this blows my very good record. I swear it is the bosses at work that get this powerful bug and pass it along to me.

My colds effect my throat because for some reason it goes down the back of my mouth instead of draining through the nose. However, it both ways this time. I lost my voice in May and I am well on my this time. I went into the ugly cough today. It is a cough that I can't stop and then it goes into the upchucking mode. It isn't good when I go to church with this. Last May I am trying to stifle the cough and I pulled a muscle on my right side and it is still there because it gets uncomfortable to lay on that side. Oh well!

I heard Bonnie Hunt say something about onions or onion soup - I think it was her and I think it was onions! It is suppose to help with the cold. Well, I have dumped a ton of them on my food tonight. I do feel much better than last night.

I got home early today and decided to make stuffed cabbage since I can't have stuffed peppers. It took a bit of time to make them but they are in the crock pot for tomorrow. I hope they turn out well. I did add pear to the meat mixture and barley instead of the forbidden rice. Martha said to use a granny smith apple but I have pears and more pears so what would be the difference? It just adds a bit of sweetness to it.

I am trying to take care of me! I want to feel better this weekend because I have pears and washing to do among other things like writing!

cookin!

I have to give a shout out to Chocolate & Zucchini! I have this passion about how people learn. I love to sit at people's feet and find out what their dreams are. Within those dreams are strengths. Whatever you are strong at is the desire to learn and grow. So go over and check out how a blind man cooks!

minimal ...

On Sunday I began to feel like a nothing. I have been under some major stress and feel that I have to knock out interferences in life in order for my potential to make a good performance. I have decided that when the little things at work or even at home come in my way that I will jump in and do what they ask with my game face on so they don't know it is bothering me and so that I don't let my bad attitude take hold. Now that I have done this I feel like I am taking everything with a whatever mode so that I don't behave badly.

What is really shaking me up is that I had a notion that I need to scrape out everything thing I do and start over. What? Yeah, I believe with all my heart that I cannot change the core of who I am. I tried it and it doesn't work so why is this coming to me now?

I feel isolated. Some of it is because of me. I do not go with the crowd. I am quiet. I don't force myself onto others. I hate it when others live outside their box and splatter their behavior all over me. I over think. I am tenacious. Dad calls me stubborn. I see things differently then others do. I abhor people telling me what to do. I loathe the disrespect shown when people tell you how to feel or what to think.

I feel isolated and this one thing I cannot control it. My food allergies make me more remote than I already feel. It can take on the ultimate form of not listening. It can even take on disrespect towards my feelings. I really have to watch this as this happens with those I love. Then there is work where I have to say yes or no to a luncheon. I have to ask about the food. I don't like doing that and because I was raised to eat everything on the plate -no complaints. Then I get an answer that didn't even go with my question! So, I am leaning towards just saying no rather then asking again. The last time I a guy co-worker wanted to know my answer. I asked what they were serving. He wouldn't tell me so I said no. I didn't give him the reason. It is a big tado over nothing every time I talk about all 36 food allergies. Why should everyone know when all they can say is I couldn't do it and then isolate me. Do you think this is fun? (I think I should develop a comic routine on my food allergies. Maybe a little humor will lighten me up!)

You know it just isn't working for me anymore. The payoff is lousy. So what can I do? Have a personality-change?

how are you? ...

"Why do you ask people how they are doing? Don't you know they will tell you there life story?'' This is the response my mom gets when she asks people how are you doing?

My mom works at the hospital and she is great at making sick people feel comfortable, at getting into elders who tell stories of the past without making them live in the now, and at listening to what ails her co-workers. She is great at getting a laugh

It is frustrating to hear the type of people that work with Mom. She has a huge ministry and yet the thief is always there to takeaway. Dad and I keep encouraging her to keep at her gift and we both are amazed at her spunk and her shouldering the woes that weigh people down.

She found out a co-worker has Crownes disease and allergic to wheat. (Mom didn't know that there is a difference between wheat and glutton - I don't know much but that glutton can be found in a lot of stuff not just wheat.) This poor girl had tears come when she told Mom she could not eat peanut butter. Mom tried to comfort her with that fact that she has to deal with my allergies and how difficult it is but there is help out there - groups to join and find help. It is a huge weight to bare when you find out about an allergy or a disease because you have this label and yes, it is great to know what is wrong but there you are left with no help! That is why people will reach out when they are asked what they are doing! They are drowning in some pain and need a human touch and a life line to keep going...

Here's to my Mom and her special gifts!!!

Lemon Kekir Ice Cream ...

Thank you to Chocolate & Zucchini for posting her ice cream try outs. Ice creams out there contain sugar or fake sugar. It is summer and this food allergy girl would like to have some ice cream to sooth out those hot days. So I made some.

I used to have an ice cream maker but it was coming apart and leaking. I figured it was unsafe and threw out. I need to get another since I have to make my own if I want HA free cool off. I did make this in a stainless steal bowl in the freezer. It came out like Italian ice which is just fine but sometimes it would be nice to have a creamy mixture!

Chocolate & Zucchini has a coconut ice cream I have got to try out next. Even though she has sugar listed I shall do like the Lemon Kekir and use fructose, agave, honey, or a combo of each.

This girl has a cool happy tummy now. {satisfied sigh}

two leaves left ...

Neglect! Yikes, one of the days I returned to my apartment for a brief zip in and out while pup sitting, I was horrified as I looked over at my three citrus trees sitting in the perch of the west window. My AUSTRALIAN LIME FINGER drooped all its leaves! My Meyer lemon who always is quick to swoon for water wasn't showing any signs of distress. What!!!! Giving them all a drink of water, I figured all would be well again. Mine you, I gave them a drink about two days before. They are in clay pots so there is ample breathing room for them roots which I read that is what they prefer.

Next day on my quick trip in and out, I was beside myself over the major loss of leaves!!!! NOOOOOO, it can't happen to my Mate. I want this plant!!!! I want him to be happy, healthy, and fruitful!!!!! I am trying everything.

Third day in more dropped leaves. Two are left. I had expected them to fall of today too. They are holding on. I was trying to find info on this precious tree online. I guess he needs more shade than full sun. I moved it. I think the soil was too dry and that was a stress it could not handle. There where some leaves that yellowed so I feed it some food that contained iron. I guess citrus needs it to have green healthy leaves. I hope that didn't cause a problem... I still think it was lack of water.... No more absent minded, living in two houses, loving on pups, and forgetting to love on my citrus trees!

Oh by the way, don't turn me in to the citrus police. I am a newbie but I am very passionate about them...

food, sails, craft ideas...

1. I found a nice eggplant at a farmer's market. I enjoy eggplant and I hope to make a good dish or two from it. I also got pear butter made without sugar. It is better than my own pear jam that I made last year from our bounty of pears. (no pears at all this year!) I will be making corn cakes soon and smearing my new pear butter on it!

2. I enjoyed watching some sail boats on Lake Winona back in my college town. I enjoyed the sights of the place. Very cottage-esk making me wish to have a summer home here.

3. I nosed around crafts today getting ideas for my own painting and ideas or wishes for my home. Oh, to have my shop of glass!!!!!

*Final destination was to sit with my baby niece. First few hours were good but she is stuffy and having her first bit with a cold. She got cranky and cried a lot the last hours with her. When Momma held her, she went to sleep. Grrr.... I wonder how we will bond as she grows.... It is all about what attracts us and what we are willing to bring to the table...

I got one pix of Tink the dog. He was having his nap and was looking very cute but I got no pix of my baby niece. {sniffles}. I was hoping to get a few and a possilbe video clip... another time....

3 clay pots ...

I waited a week!!!!!! I transplanted my three citrus trees into their clay pots. The instructions said that clay pots are best so that the water can evaporate and to allow the roots to dry out and breathe. Over the past week it looks like the littlest, Myrtle, has grown an inch. As I write that it seems like a lot but I honest feel that she has! Good sign! The Meyer tends to need more water. He wilts quicker than the other two. I want to watch the watering; too much causes root rot. So it is still me getting to know their habits. Matie is Matie. Solid and constant.

I have kept them in the south window right up against the window. I am worried about the winter months. I can't have them that close to the windows because I live in a place that gets coooooold winters and the winds beat on that window. I will have to move them to the kitchen table... only thing not enough sun there. I have a couple of months yet to figure out warmth and sun issues...

Matie, Myrtle, & Meyer's day one

Meyer, Myrtle, Matie ...

Yes, I went ahead a ordered a small citrus grove!!! They arrived today as I was coming home from work!!! My Australian Lime Finger, Meyer Lemon, and Myrtle Leaf Orange tree-bushes are sitting all in a row in a west window for some good ol' sunbathing. I went out and got some 4in clay pots like they recommended for good drying out and root growth. I must wait a week before I transplant them so they are getting use to their surroundings. I haven't found the dirt yet that is recommended but I have a few days. I am like a new mom fussing over her new babies. It is just because I have no green thumb. Shhhh, please keep it between you and me. I don't want Meyer, Myrtle, or Matie getting wind of this. I want them to be happy, healthy, and fruitful! Gotta do everything by the book and yet remain cool. I don't want to them to see me sweat!!! Who knows maybe in a year or two I can report that I have lemons, oranges, and limes!!!!!

Another adventure for me and God. You know how Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.... well, we have to be grafted to the vine. Citrus are a lot like that. To get a good citrus tree it is best to graft instead of using seed..... Interesting!!!

citrus austraica!!!

Should I or shouldn't I? I've been wanting a lemon tree to grow indoors for a verrrrrrry loooooong time. I have recently discovered a place that has trees but more an indoor bush style. Logee's has a Meyer Lemon, an Myrtle Leaf Orange, and most interesting to me an Australian Finger Lime tree - well more like bushes. There is a small sale on the Finger Lime and I would have to get all three because it would make a better deal shipping wise. My apartment is small and I am not sure where to put them. I want them so I shall make room! The biggest draw back is that I lack a green thumb especially if the plant is needy! But then again it might not be the plant because I can't seem to grow herbs. I have no porch or outdoor area to call my own and garden in so it has to be able to make it indoors. If I fail in keeping these plants alive, I am out $40 bucks. OOOOOOO that would anger me. I would have to say after loosing precious trees like these, I would never touch a plant again! Hmmm, if I could be successful, I have a wish list already going! a grapefruit and a cherry bush!!!!!

What is it about me that even though I have proven to lack skills in plants, I still have this drive to try it! ??? CRAZY!

paper, babycakes, home

* I hate allllllllll the plastic bags I accumulate. So I finally got the nerve up and asked for paper at one of my local grocery stores. Don' know why I feel like I am bucking the system. Anyhow, I just noticed on the paper bag, I can get 3¢ off on my next bill if I reuse the bags! Deal!

* I just got my first NYC Babycakes newsletter. She is writing a cookbook for all of us food allergy peeps!!! I am excited.

* I have to report that being home is the best place. My nerve endings can heal. No one belly aching about this or that. No complaints. Just me and myself - hanging out, being peaceful, and smiling by watching a funny movie. A bonus? Finding the driver to make my scanner work on my newer iMac version.

I needed to have good reports. Anger crept into me today. I get so tired of others especially ones you like comments that hinder the work atmosphere instead of encourage it. Some of the comments that come out of her about others are somethings she actually does. I don't like thinking like this about her yet I don't want to fall down into this either. Whatever is of good report .. think on these things....

first cork & first agave ...

I have tried wines in my past but have been very tentative. Then last Christmas and New Years, I thought I would try a glass of Riesling. Ok honestly here, I chose it because it came in 4 tiny cute BLUE bottles, but my massive headaches came back! Wines do not list their contents and I've had many wine people say there is no sugar in them. Well, something was in it!

I happened down the juice isle last Friday (8/10) for some reason. A bottle stood out with its sale ticket. I picked it up. It was a bottle of wine that was 'dewined'. Sauder has this 'fre' line of wine. They have a way to take the alcohol out! This bottle had a listing of ingredients. No sugar! I debated a bit but the bottle ended up in the cart.

When I got it home, I realized it had a cork! Oh no! I never got a cork out of a bottle before. I had visions of breaking the bottle or the corking taking flight (not good with a house full of glass) or cutting myself with glass shards. All I had was a cork screw on a pocket knife and the strength of a very light weight girl. I tried. It wasn't moving. I took the cork screw out and put it back in. I tried again. No movement. Argh. Is it getting hot in here? Hmm, got an idea. Should I try it? What if I flip backwards on my backside with the bottle tipping over and breaking? I am imagining the dweller below me ducking for cover with the noisy thud from upstairs! Oh, I am going to try. I take the bottle over to a rug and tucked my feet around the bottle. I then pulled as hard as I could and as easy as I could. SUCCESS! Cork came out easy. Bottle did not budge with my nibble feet holding them in place. I remained upright. No loud crashes.

I got a cork screw that helps in easing out the cork. I still might use the level of the floor to help.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I have been searching for agave (8/3). I call it 'cactus honey'. The GI content is less then honey. It would be a great substitute for my sugar allergy. I know I could find it in a health food store but hadn't found the time or made the time to go to one. Through word of mouth, a local store had it. I went and got it. It is a very light taste compared to the heavier taste of honey. I really haven't made anything with it. To warm here to bake at the moment. I have put it the chilly smoothies. I will use it sparingly. It is about twice as much as honey. Bummer...

tapioca pudding!!!! mmmmmm

Not having chocolate is a real bummer. No sweets either - ok but man, I like to have some dessert please! Blueberry pie or blueberry crisp. I can handle it but even having a controlled cheat that brings on a slight headache is too much. Well, I finally made a dessert that will cover some of my grumble!

I made tapioca pudding with 2 T of fructose instead of the sugar the recipe called for. Fructose is natural. I refuse to use artifical sweetners. Not putting chemicals into this body. No after taste either unlike stavia.

I even used my rice cooker, too. I am allergic to rice and the rice cooker has to find new uses. It has a special memory attached to it and I wasn't fond of getting rid of it.

I love tapioca pudding and haven't had it in a million years. I tried in a pan I think and without sugar. I didn't make it again. Something happened or it was gross. Can't remember. Oh, maybe I tried it in the microwave!

definitely toe tappin now that I have a huge bowl of tapioca pudding all for myself!

Quinoa!!!

It is funny how you can go about your life thinking you know all there is about food. Well, at least the basics. It is also amazing how your brain searches for substitutes. I can now add Quinoa to my list.

I have never heard of this before but on Saturday a cook was using it in her passover meal. Then I happened to find it at the local grocery. So I decided to see if it had been on the list of what they tested for my food allergies and found it was safe. I had to find out more about this mystery food.

It is a seed but it is an excellent alternative to white rice and I can prepare it in the rice cooker that I had bought and now was deciding if I should throw out. I will have to try it in my stir fry! It also says you can toast it in a pan like a granola! There is quinoa flour toooooo! Hmmm, will have to try it in my baking...

I am putting it on my grocery list.

A whole new world out there!

corn flour ...

A week past I was googling for recipes involving corn meal. I stumbled upon 'corn flour'. In all of my years I never knew what this was. You could not find in the local grocery store until recently because of the large popluation of latinos that are here now.

I am very hesitant when anything says flour because the first thing you think is flour from wheat. But rest asured, corn flour is made from corn. Corn flour is starchy which is good for baking. So I will be trying to bake some of my old favorites. I did try my favorite lemon bread with corn flour and oat flour. It isn't as sweet as what regular people would like, but it is soft and rises like a bread or cake should. I will try again when I can find agave.

Anyway back to the original reason I found and bought the corn flour for...
I wanted to make my own corn torilla! Wednesday I tried but when I rolled it out, it wanted to crack. You are suppose to use plastic. I tried plastic wrap and to get it as thin as you are suppose to, it stuck and would not come off. Then I tried tinfoil. Nope, same problem. I even used the bottom of the bowl to press it out. Again, a mess. I used pressed out in my hands as far as it would with out cracking. I fried them. Nothing like what you get in the store. The recipe did talk about a torilla press. I didn't know where I was going to get one.

Today on my mac apple run, I found a torilla press right there at Martins (neighorhood grocery store)! I got it. I tried it this afternoon. It worked. It did not work because I had a press but it worked because there was a thick piece of plastic for you to use in the press. I had perfect round corn torilla's that came off the plastic just so. I am keeping that plastic as long as I can. Very hard to find plastic thick like that. I am one happy girl right now. Finally, some working out right with my food allergies. I had my egg mcmuffin wrapped in a corn torilla. Now when mom has to have her homemade pizza's, she can without excluding me!

A note about my food allergys:
Is it going ok? Well, no .. because there has been a year long focus on foods, I seemed to be obsessed with keeping my foods around me. I have a tummy that is mad at me and I have the munchies because I just do. Not good. Then my own family finds it difficult to cook for me. Dad made the family favorite, chilli. He changed the beans so I could eat it. What he forgot was not to use the chilli powder. I had a spinach salad when I went out with Mom and Dad and the next day Mom is making me a salad asking me what I can have and not have. Well, not the lettuse! They can't win! Mom is always wanting pizza whenever she needs a quick meal when all of us are home!

I keep trying to make this work. I think winter eating is hard because I go to food to keep me warm .... The munchies is there because I am bothered even though I am joyful. My middle is bloated and very fussy. I just need to relax and let go...

Babycakes NYC!!!

I have been feeling that need for sweets like that yummy oatmeal coffee cake or that upside down pineapple cake that was sitting down in the break room today. I take a bite but to dive in and truly eat a whole square with some hot blueberry tea would be divine especially when winter has finally taken whole with chilly temps. My attempts at my favorite past time (baking) has not turned out the best. I do have a a couple of recipes but not really sweet ones. Great news though... I might find myself baking again... maybe....

I heard about a bakery in NYC called 'Babycakes' that specializes in baked goods that are SUGAR free. Now hear me on this ... they do not use any artifical types of sugar either {yes!!}! Ok, besides sugar free, they are gluton free, WHEAT free, and vegan. I am happy happy beside myself. She did two of her recipies on Martha.

The only grains I can use is barley and oats. But today I was inroduced to garbanzo and fava flour and some other techniques she uses to make the baked good rise. I knew about the agave nectar just that I can't find it in the regular grocery store. I probably won't find that garbanzo and fava bean flour but I know I can buy that on line at www.bobsredmill.com.

So if you find yourself allergic to sugar but in the need for sweets and in New York City, check out BABYCAKES NYC.

Babycakes NYC
248 Broome Street
(Btwn Orchard & Ludlow)
New York City, NY 10002
Telephone 212.677.5047

Tuesday-Thursday: 10am-10pm
Friday-Saturday: 10am-11pm
Sunday: 10am-8pm
Monday: Closed

Looks just darling!

If you can't visit, you can check out the menu and have it mailed!!!

Martha told her she should write a cookbook! I would buy!!!

orange zest ...

I have 18 oranges to consume before they all rot! I think I can do it!

I love the smell of oranges. I love how you can bend the peel and watch the juice squirt. I love chocolate and oranges together but with my new eating habits I have discovered changing up some routine flavors with orange zest.

I have added it to my blueberries and cottege cheese. Nice! I have even added to my tuna patties. I have added it to baby oil for a nice refreshing scent. I add it to my candles to refresh the room... It is only the beginning!

love it!!!!